Gym Injury Guide

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

The life hacker understands what kind of injuries can be received in the gym, how to avoid them and what to do if it was not possible to prevent damage.

Sprain

The ligaments are stretched by no more than 4% and with sudden movements they can break, partially or completely.

The most common sprains occur in the shoulder, elbow, wrist and knee joints.

Signs of injury

Traumatologist Oleg Milenin claims that on the first day after a sprain, patients, as a rule, do not have any symptoms, there is no pain.

The next day, pain appears, which increases with movement and with pressure on the site of injury. Swelling may also appear.

Causes

Oleg Milenin says that sprain often occurs due to a violation of the muscular-articular sense, or proprioception. Normally, the muscles should absorb the excessive load by their contraction and thereby remove it from the ligamentous apparatus.

When an athlete is tired or insufficiently prepared, proprioception is impaired, resulting in a sprain or even rupture of the ligaments.

Fitness instructor Ruslan Pustovoy claims that sprains often occur on the treadmill, as well as with improper exercise.

Ruslan Pustovoy Instructor of the “Territory of Fitness” fitness club chain, champion in power extreme, orthopedic traumatologist.

What to do

When stretching, you must stop training and fix the injured limb. Oleg Milenin says that with mild sprains, provided proper treatment, the pain goes away in 3-4 days. Treatment includes fixation of the limb, use of anti-inflammatory ointment, cold.

Exercise therapy doctor Oleg Evdokimov claims that in some cases, the very next day after stretching, you can start classes with a physical therapy coach.

Oleg Evdokimov Physician of exercise therapy and sports medicine, trainer of the “Health and Sport” studio.

If the pain and swelling persist within a few days, then the injury is likely more serious and you should see a doctor. Therapy will include immobilization of the limb with a bandage or plaster cast for a period of three days to a week, with further rehabilitation.

When to get back to training

Ruslan Pustovoy claims that the recovery period after sprains usually ranges from one week to a month, depending on the severity of the injury.

How to avoid

Oleg Milenin advises to strengthen the muscles that run parallel to a particular ligament to prevent sprains. At the same time, it is important to train the muscular-articular feeling, and not just muscle strength.

To do this, it is worth doing exercises that develop balance, such as platform exercises. To strengthen the ligaments of the joints of the legs, it is worth including jumping exercises into the workout, and multidirectional exercises performed at high speed are suitable for the ligaments of the joints of the hands.

Partial muscle tear

Oleg Milenin says that muscle rupture occurs when it contracts in the opposite direction from the direction of the load. Most often, the flexors of the back of the thigh muscles, the Achilles tendon, the pectoralis major muscle, and the tendon of the long head of the biceps are torn.

Breakage signs

Oleg Milenin claims that when a rupture occurs in the middle part of the muscle (muscle abdomen), a hematoma occurs. With a more extensive rupture, the muscle is deformed, and this is noticeable visually.

At the same time, you can feel no pain. But this does not mean that you should postpone the visit to the doctor: the injury is quite serious.

Causes

Medical rehabilitation therapist and fitness trainer Andrei Pitirimov argues that muscle tear occurs due to the use of too much weight without preliminary preparation or prolonged contraction when working under static conditions.

Andrey Pitirimov Rehabilitation physician and fitness trainer.

For example, if you are performing a lift with the wrong technique and are trying to lift a lot of weight with your biceps, you will most likely tear one of the muscle heads.

What to do

Oleg Evdokimov suggests the following sequence of actions:

• stop exercising;
• apply cold to the site of the alleged injury;
• fix the injured area;
• see a doctor.

Muscle tears are treated in different ways, depending on the severity of the injury: either a fixation bandage is used with further rehabilitation, or, in more severe cases, a surgical repair of the muscle.

When to get back to training

Oleg Evdokimov says that in case of partial muscle tears, complete rest and the use of painkillers are assumed for 10 days.

Oleg Milenin argues that in the event of a partial strain, it will be possible to return to physical activity no earlier than in four weeks. In the event of a complete rupture and surgical intervention, it may take about six months before returning to sports.

How to avoid

Oleg Milenin advises to train tendons and ligaments to prevent muscle ruptures. To do this, it is worth including in the training exercises during which the agonist muscles and the opposite antagonists contract at the same time. In addition, jumping and balance workouts are helpful.

Also, with serious exertion, you can take preparations containing collagen.

Pinched nerve

Andrei Pitirimov says that the nerve roots extending from the spinal cord can be mechanically compressed by a spasmodic muscle, a trigger point in a muscle, or vertebrae displaced due to osteochondrosis.

Signs of injury

When a nerve is pinched, sensations can be varied: from numbness and goose bumps to pain.

Causes

Trying to do many reps with untrained muscles can lead to muscle spasm and pinching of the nerve.

What to do

If a nerve is pinched, it is imperative to see a doctor. If the pinching is caused by muscle spasm, the doctor prescribes drugs that relax the muscles, as well as physiotherapy and massage.

If the vertebrae are damaged, further treatment will include manual therapy, osteopathy, and surgery.

When to get back to training

The timing of therapy and rehabilitation depends on the causes of pinching. With muscle spasm, painful sensations can last for 7-10 days.

If the pinching occurs due to displacement of the vertebrae, intervertebral hernia or other problems with the spine, the timing of treatment and rehabilitation depends on the severity of the disease.

How to avoid

Oleg Milenin advises avoiding the same type of flexion and extension movements, as well as microtraumas of the joints and ligaments.

Intervertebral hernia

An intervertebral (or intervertebral) hernia is a rupture of the annulus fibrosus, the membrane of the intervertebral disc, and the release of its liquid contents - the nucleus pulposus.

Andrei Pitirimov claims that a hernia is formed over the years due to improper posture and gradual destruction of the intervertebral disc, after which the slightest overload can cause an internal rupture (protrusion) and hernia - the release of the liquid part of the disc.

Most often, an intervertebral hernia occurs in the lumbosacral region, less often in the cervical and very rarely in the thoracic region.

Signs of injury

With a hernia in the lumbar spine, the pain is felt in the lower back, radiates to the buttock or leg. With a hernia of the cervical spine, pain manifests itself in the neck, shoulders, and head. Dizziness, tinnitus, numbness of the fingers may appear. A hernia in the thoracic spine is manifested by pain in the chest area.

Causes

The rupture of the annulus fibrosus usually occurs after a strong and abrupt movement. It can be a jerking exercise with the wrong technique, when all the load goes to the back.

The sudden lifting of the projectile from the floor can also result in injury, since many people who follow the technique during the exercise completely forget about it when carrying and folding pancakes or free weights.

What to do

Andrey Pitirimov advises to lie on your back on a hard surface and place soft objects under the physiological curves of the spine to relieve pain. You may need to be transported on a stretcher to get to the doctor, so call an ambulance immediately after injury.

The doctor will prescribe drugs of the NSAID group (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), therapeutic exercises. In rare cases, surgery is required.

Over time, the nucleus pulposus dries up and ceases to press the nerve. However, since there is no normal cushioning between the vertebrae, further training requires special attention, creating a strong muscle corset and reducing working weights.

When to get back to training

Andrei Pitirimov claims that with successful treatment of a hernia with the help of massage, therapeutic exercises and traction, it will take several months to recover.

How to avoid

Oleg Milenin advises to perform special exercises that equalize the load on the intervertebral discs, as well as train the muscles of the back and abs.

It is also worth monitoring the position of the body in everyday life, for example, at the workplace.

Dislocation

Oleg Milenin says that dislocation is a complete divergence of the articular surfaces of the bones that form the joint relative to each other. Subluxation, or incomplete dislocation, is a partial displacement of these bones in relation to each other.

When exercising in the gym, dislocations in the shoulder and elbow joints most often occur, much less often in the knee. “Unfortunately, after the first dislocation, in 95% of cases, young patients have a relapse,” warns Oleg Milenin.

Signs of injury

With dislocation, the joint is deformed, edema appears. Due to damage to blood vessels and soft tissues, a hematoma may appear.

Movements of the injured limb cause sharp pain, with passive movement, resistance is felt. If the nerve trunks are damaged, limb numbness may appear.

Causes

Dislocation is often caused by trying to lift too much weight in the machine and improper technique. So, for example, a heavy weight in a platform for a leg press can result in a dislocated knee, and a barbell press while sitting or behind the head can result in a dislocated shoulder.

What to do

If you receive a dislocation, you must fix the joint and immediately contact a traumatologist. Oleg Evdokimov explains that if you get to the doctor in the first 30 minutes after the injury, then the dislocation can be corrected without anesthesia. After 40 minutes, the stiff muscles will make it difficult to reposition and the patient will need anesthesia.

After the dislocation is reduced, the patient undergoes a rehabilitation course, which includes physiotherapy.

When to get back to training

Ruslan Pustovoy claims that after a dislocation, you can start training in at least 6 weeks.

Oleg Milenin says that in case of dislocation, the articular lip and ligaments can come off, which must be fixed surgically with the help of so-called anchor clamps.

In this case, arthroscopic surgery is performed through several punctures, so recovery is quick and after 4 months the patient can already return to his usual level of stress.

How to avoid

To prevent dislocations, Oleg Milenin advises to train muscles that press the articular surfaces against each other and resist the load leading to dislocation. It is also helpful to do exercises that develop responsiveness.

General tips for preventing injury

To avoid injury in the gym, there are a few guidelines to follow.

• Carry out a high-quality and long warm-up, perform leading exercises.
• Gradually increase your working weight and increase the number of repetitions.
• Learn new complex movements only under the supervision of a trainer.

That's all. Share in the comments what kind of injuries you had in the gym and how long it took you to recover.